MACCABIA! Yellow Team Won!
Living. Learning. Growing. (Friday, June 27)
We’ve just wrapped up the third full week of Trip I 2025 — and what a week it was!
The third week of camp is truly magical. This is the time when we see the most social learning and growth take shape. Campers are fully settled, immersed in the rhythm of daily life, and feeling secure within their cabin groups. With that sense of safety and belonging, they begin to work through peer conflicts with empathy, learn to respect one another’s boundaries, and strengthen the bonds that make camp feel like home.
As we move into the second half of the session, we see campers stretching themselves — trying new things, taking healthy risks, and stepping confidently into new roles and activities.
This kind of growth is only possible in a setting like residential camp — a place where kids can just be. With no appointments to keep, no homework to do, and no screen time tugging at their attention, their number-one focus becomes their relationships with the people around them. That shift — from digital to deeply human — is powerful. And it’s made possible each day by the care, guidance, and leadership of our exceptional counselors and specialists.
What did we do this week? Where to begin…
On Sunday, we bid farewell to our amazing Rishon Aleph campers.
- Noar traveled to Sandusky and spent Sunday-Monday at Cedar Point.
- On Monday, we welcomed Rishon Bet and Taste of Camp campers!
- Tuesday was a celebration of cultures with Israeli Day and World’s Fair.
- Maccabiah (Color War!) was a surprise hit on Wednesday and Thursday
- Ohalim Shabbat begins Friday.
And today kicks off our third block of chuggim (electives)!
We were also honored to welcome leadership from the Mandel Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland for a meaningful visit on Tuesday. Oh — and did I mention? Every single day this week hit temperatures above 87 degrees!
Even as we pray for cooler weather, we remain grateful for the joy, camaraderie, connection, and energy that fill our camp each day. These are the moments that stay with us long after we forget just how hot (or rainy!) it actually was.
Check out the latest cabin photos below!
Wishing you a restful and joyful Shabbat,
Rabbi Dan Utley
Camp Wise Director
